PAGE 1 PRESSPASS March 22, 2019

Best News Photo Division 1: Weekly newspapers 2018 Better Newspaper Contest By Nathan Bourne, Seeley Swan Pathfinder

Titled: Fire Bears Down on Seeley Lake

With Seeley Lake in the foreground, the DC-10 heavy air tanker drops a line of retardant on the south flank of the Rice Ridge Fire on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017. The fire made a push towards the north end of Seeley Lake, but aerial resources were able to keep it in check.

March 22, 2019 PAGE 2 MNACalendar March 22 Nomination deadline, 2019 Newspaper Hall of Fame, Master Editor/Publisher Award and Distinguished Service Awards 29 Montana Freedom of Information Hotline Inc. event at the Montana Capitol April 5 MNA and MNAS Board of Directors’ meeting - Missoula 5 University of Montana School of Journalism Dean Stone awards banquet 12 Deadline to submit articles for April Press Pass newsletter 15 Montana Corporation Annual Report filing deadline with the Montana Secretary of State May 10 Deadline to submit articles for May Press Pass newsletter 27 Federal holiday: Memorial Day 27 MNA office will be closed for Memorial Day holiday June 6 MNA and MNAS Board of Directors’ Meeting–Big Sky 7,8 MNA office will be closed for annual convention 7,8 134th MNA annual convention–Big Sky 8 2019 MNA Better Newspaper Contest awards banquet–Big Sky 14 Deadline to submit articles for June Press Pass newsletter July 1 Deadline to file annual municipal and county sworn statements of circulation 4 Federal Holiday: Independence Day 4 MNA office closed for Independence Day holiday 12 Deadline to submit articles for July Press Pass newsletter THANK YOU RENEWING ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Bronze Level Associate Member

Bronze Level Associate Member Bronze Level Associate Member

OUR MISSION: To advance and sustain the news publishing industry in Montana.

825 Great Northern Blvd., Ste. 202 Matt Gibson, Executive Director | [email protected] Helena, MT 59601 Stacy Wirtz, Business Development Director | [email protected] Phone 406-443-2850 Ryan Stavnes, Member Relations & Client Services | [email protected] Fax 406-443-2860 mtnewspapers.com March 22, 2019 PAGE 3 2018 Better Newspaper Contest Winners Best Front Page Best Front Page Layout & Design Layout & Design

To Those Who Courageously Gave Their 75¢ Lives And Those That Fight Today..... Thursday BLACKFOOT V ALLEY THANK YOU July 13, 406-293-7717 • libbyautosales.com 2017 ISPATCH Vol. 37, D Serving South Lincoln County since 1902 75¢

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THE BLACKFOOT VALLEY’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1980 INDEPENDENT AND LOCALLY OWNED IN LINCOLN, MONT. Rumble and Shake No major damage but plenty of rattled nerves as 5.8 earthquake jolts Lincoln Tuesday, November 7, 2017 Libby, Montana Volume 116, No. 89 Roger Dey BVD Editor was reportedly felt as far north as bout eight and a Calgary and as far west as Seattle. Locally, it left people both lit- half miles below A erally and figuratively rattled. ‘It’s a damn shame.’ Ken and Sandy Crymble’s Nine miles from the epicenter, home in Mead Gulch, in the Hogum Creek area, Tracy MacKnight thought a plane had something moved. landed on the roof of her home. Finding herself in the dark with “I thought the cabin exploded. her grandson Taylor Korth, she I didn’t know,” Ken Crymble was briefly unsure of what to do. said. “The cabin was shaking and “The scariest part was hear- there just a loud, huge noise.” ing the glass breaking all around According to the U.S Geologi- and not knowing where it was,” she cal Survey, a “shallow strike-slip said. Eventually she remembered faulting” motion triggered a 5.8 the flashlight function on her phone. magnitude earthquake almost She found the quake had cost her an directly beneath the Crymble entire set of antique china that had home at 12:30 a.m., July 6. been in her family for three genera- As a retired fire chief, Crymble tions. Fearing damage to the home’s has years of experience being awak- integrity, they headed to Lincoln ened out of a deep sleep by pages and to spend the night at a friend’s. alerts, and the area around Lincoln Some of the worst reported dam- has a somewhat active seismic history, age came from the home of Gordy so he’s experienced tremors there be- Becker, who lives along Highway fore, but he has trouble trying to de- 200, east of Lincoln. He was out- scribe the sensation of finding himself side his house enjoying a fire with atop the epicenter of the eighth largest family and girlfriend Hope Quay earthquake recorded in Montana. when the quake hit. Inside bottles, Crymble said people often talk wall hangings and several trophy about hearing a loud bang then a rum- mounts hit the floor. The building ble, but in Mead Gulch they happened suffered damage to the founda- simultaneously, and it was deafening. tion, chimney, walls and water line. “This one…I just can’t explain it. Becker’s son and daughter, who Of course, you come out of a dead were asleep inside, were unharmed. From right, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy John Hyslop, Emergency Management Planner Brent Teske and two other men help with a hose Sunday. (John Blodgett/TWN) sleep and you’re grabbing each other Just four miles straight north of the and you don’t know if the cabins Soup cans, oil and hot sauces litter an aisle in D&D Foodtown after Thursday morning’s earthquake. epicenter Susie Gehring was asleep (Roger Dey photo) coming down, or what else,” he said. in the vintage camper trailer she 20 left jobless after fire destroys Libby mill In an instant, the noise and trem- shook the Lincoln area for nearly a near the force of the state’s largest- stays in while tending her goat herd By JOHN BLODGETT treated at the scene for ors roared outward from Mead minute, jolting people awake as their the 7.3 Hebgen Lake earthquake of a minor burn to a hand, and working on the old Lee Hughes according to a Monday Gulch in all directions. It knocked homes shuddered around them. 1959 that killed 28 people and moved A blaze that kept fire- morning incident report See RUMBLE Pg. 4 fighters busy for 18 hours prepared by Steven out power to about 1350 people and While the temblor had nowhere 40 million cubic tons of material – it beginning Sunday after- Lauer, Libby Volunteer noon destroyed two build- Fire Department First ings in Libby’s Kootenai Assistant and Fire Business Park and has Marshal. left about 18-20 people out In addition to fire- Fantastic Fourth of work, officials say. fighters, two Libby The buildings, part of Volunteer Ambulance the SK Fingerjoint com- crews responded and plex, were unoccupied at some ambulance person- the time of the fire, which nel helped firefighters was reported at 2:28 p.m. lay or move hose. A Sunday. number of units from the “It’s a damn shame,” Lincoln County Sheriff’s Brent Teske, Lincoln Office and Libby Police County’s emergency Department helped to management planner and secure the scene, and Libby’s mayor, said as the Troy Volunteer Fire he watched the fire and Department was called in considered the business’s to the Libby Fire Hall to significance to Libby’s remain on standby. economy. “It makes you An insufficient supply sick.” of water at the site hin- Monday morning the dered firefighting efforts, Lincoln County Sheriff’s officials said. Office was investigating “The biggest detriment the fire’s cause. was not having water Twenty-four firefight- onsite,” Lauer said at ers responded to the huge blaze. One firefighter was See Fire, A6 Three Libby firefighters try to knock down flames at SK Fingerjoint Sunday. (John Blodgett/The Western News)

Fireworks at Hooper Park July 4th (left) provide a dramatic preview of the community fire- ADVERTISE HERE works show put on by the Lincoln Valley Chamber of Commerce (above). (Photos by Roger Dey) Your Holiday Event Obituary: Cheryl Ann Harvey /Choice Fly-in/ Watch for damage, scams /July 4 concert / Entrance upgrades / Rally entertainment / Freight Or Christmas Sales! INSIDE: train/ Geary:That familiar feeling / Rodeo Results Call Suzanne Or Teresa TODAY! 293-4124 2nd PLACE Division 1 2nd PLACE Weekly newspapers with circulation of 1,250 or less Division 2 By Roger Dey, Blackfoot Valley Dispatch Weekly newspapers with circulation from 1,251 to 2,000 By John Blodgett, The Western News

To view all the first-place winners of the 2018 Better Newspaper Contest, please visit the following link: http://www.mtnewspapers.com/awards2018/presentation.php March 22, 2019 PAGE 4 PEOPLEandPAPERS Bitter cold February chills bones, but not progress Can we talk about the weather? Seriously. I’ve been on the job here at the Mon- tana Newspaper Association for about 80 days now, and if I had to tell you one thing that stood out from the experience, I’d have to single out the brutal cold we endured through February into the first week of March. I feel like it colored everything that happened last month. And things did happen. They just happened in well-heated in- door spaces while wearing multiple layers. Credit the rugged weather if you like, but it looks like we’ll come out of the 2019 legislative session in a good place. None of the measures that caused us the most con- cern have survived transmittal. And we have a reasonable plan in place to work with the League of Cities and Towns and other stakeholders to develop clear guidelines for Matt Gibson handling requests for public document requests. For openers, the league has invited Editor Nick Ehli to attend a gathering of city attorneys with me in early May. I’m op- timistic that a constructive dialogue can help us curb the worst government abuses and avoid a difficult legisla- tive battle in the future. Judging for the 2019 Better Newspaper Contest is well underway, thanks to our peers in Michigan who volun- teered to judge the impressive 2,627 entries submitted. That’s a terrific level of participation from our members. We’ll be judging Michigan’s contest this fall, so please feel encouraged to reciprocate by judging their work when the time comes. The Montana Newspaper Foundation convened a special board meeting in March to expand its range of activities to encourage and support other philanthropic efforts benefitting Montana newspapers. The deci- sion will allow the Foundation to forge a relationship with the Solutions Journalism Network to advance the Montana Gap Project, a newsroom collaboration launched last year to tackle Montana issues with enterprising content carefully crafted to stimulate constructive response. And we’re deep into our convention planning. In fact, I’m at Big Sky Resort as I write this, taking stock of the meeting and dining spaces to plan the best convention possible. We’ll arrange for some great fun and great pro- gramming, and I’m looking forward to seeing all of you here the weekend of June 7 and 8. I’ll make registration information available as soon as I’ve finalized all the arrangements. Just my luck, the weather in Big Sky is lousy for skiing right now. It hasn’t snowed in a week. But the pave- ment is clear, and I’ll be back at my desk soon enough, wearing a layer or two less than a couple weeks ago. I’m calling that good progress.

Matt Gibson is the executive director of the Montana Newspaper Association.

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March 22, 2019 PAGE 5 PEOPLEandPAPERS Open government laws require vigilant defense By Lee Banville The students I teach at the could make those rights and the idea of transparent govern- University of Montana often show ment mere words on a four-decades-old paper. up with a powerful assumption: If I am a member of the Montana Freedom of Information Ho- there is some piece of information tline, a service that helps members of the public and journalists out there, Google can find it. It’s an navigate the state’s laws and gray zones of public access, and we understandable belief for 19-year- have seen some things in the past year that are both encourag- olds who have grown up in a world ing and worrying. where ubiquitous connection to On the encouraging side, we have had more and more indi- the Internet and easy access to vast viduals — not journalists or lawyers, just Montanans trying reams of webpages is expected. to access information — contact us for help. We are happy to But for all those Wikipedia pages try and aid their efforts to ensure the system Delegate Foster Lee Banville and Wayback Machines, there are envisioned continues here. countless documents that you, as a But we have also seen troubling developments that may make Montanan, have a constitutional right to see and you won’t find access to records a luxury only the wealthy can afford. Mon- them no matter how many pages of search results you click on. tana’s Supreme Court is currently considering a case about law- That information is sitting in your county courthouse or the yer’s fees in a public records case. This all sounds pretty wonky, state agency in Helena. It is being discussed at the city council but think of it this way: If you go to get a public document and or at the local school board meeting. the government thinks you should not have it and then you And that is sort of the point of Sunshine Week. Sunshine take them to court and a judge says the state was wrong, should Week runs from March 10-16 this year and is put together by you have to pay for all that work your lawyer did to correct a the American Society of News Editors and Reporters Commit- government mistake? If the answer is “yes” or “maybe,” I worry tee for Freedom of the Press. Its goal is pretty straightforward: that most of us out here in Montana will just throw up our highlight and promote transparency in government. hands and give up because the idea of hiring a lawyer seems But transparency itself is sort of a strange word. The Supreme pretty intimidating. Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously wrote, “Sunlight is said These issues often seem pretty distant from our day-to-day to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient lives as we desperately try to hang on until spring, but making policeman.” The idea that the best way to keep the government sure Montanans can access information from their govern- representing all of us was for all of us to be able to see its work- ment and be able to participate in the work of government is as ings, to contribute to its operation. important now as it was when Mr. Foster argued for it nearly The Montanans who gathered to write our state constitu- 50 years ago. But for this to continue to be the Montana way, tion in 1972 knew and believed in this idea, incorporating two we must all stay vigilant. That way, we will continue to live in a rights into the new document — the public’s right to know and world of sunshine and, maybe one day, some warmer tempera- its right to participate. tures. Donald Foster, a Lewistown Independent who served as a Lee Banville is a professor of journalism at the University of delegate to the state’s constitutional convention stressed that Montana in Missoula. He can be reached at lee.banville@umon- these two rights were to serve the public, saying during the tana.edu or at (406) 243-2577. He serves on the FOI Hotline Inc. deliberations, “[T]he citizens of the state will expect to partici- pate in agency decisions prior to the time the agency makes up For years, news organizations have relied upon an organiza- its mind .... It is also a commitment at the level of fundamental tion called the Montana Freedom of Information Hotline to law to seek structures, rules and procedures that maximize the provide legal advice and assistance when confronted with access of citizens to the decision-making institutions of state closed or improperly advertised meetings or sealed docu- government.” For that participation to count, the public needs ments. to know about the government’s work and the issues at stake. The service also is available to individual citizens who believe For nearly 50 years, Montana has stressed public participation they, too, are being kept in the dark. and the transparency that makes that possible. You can reach the Hotline through its website, http://www. But these rights are fragile and in need of constant attention montanafoi.org/, or by calling the Meloy Law Firm at (406) and defense. One misinformed county clerk or nervous school 442-8670. Tax deductible donations to the Hotline may be board member or one agency demanding money to hire a law- made through the website. You can also read more about the yer to review the document a member of the public requested Hotline at https://www.facebook.com/montanafoi/.

March 22, 2019 PAGE 6 PEOPLEandPAPERS Troubling bills have died during 2019 legislative session By John MacDonald The halfway mark of the 2019 obvious constitutional and legal questions with the bill, it legislative session came and went made it to the House State Administration Committee for in early March, but provided a a hearing. Before it got there, however, the MNA and the long enough break for the Mon- MBA had met individually with nearly every member of tana Newspaper Association to the committee, all of whom seemed perplexed by it. Both assess our successes at transmittal organizations spoke against the bill during its committee and get organized for the second hearing as well. While the sponsor had significant, biparti- half. san co-sponsorship of the legislation, the bill was tabled in We are relieved to report that committee by a wide margin. the half-dozen proposals causing We also successfully opposed a bill to increase penalties John MacDonald the MNA the greatest concern all for assaulting members of the press, arguing before the appear to be dead at this point. House Judiciary Committee that such protections were un- The MNA and its allies were either able to get them tabled necessary, and successfully opposed a bill that would have in committee, or persuaded the sponsors against introduc- exempted the state from public notice requirements for ing them at all. Most concerning among those was LC2426, certain building projects. which would have greatly restricted when mug shots could Moving forward, we are monitoring and will likely be be released to the public and press. Representatives of both opposing two new bills. One, Senate Bill 324, revises the the MNA and the Montana Broadcasters Association began definition of elder abuse to include the publication or post- discussions with the bill’s sponsor before the session began, ing of images of residents of long-term care facilities if the expressing our concerns. In those conversations, we also got intent is to cause them “personal degradation.” The other, a better understanding from the sponsor and others about SB323, could impact the tax-exempt status of nonprofits like their issues with how mug shots are sometimes used. In the the MNA and has significant opposition from a variety of end, those productive conversations seemed successful in interests. We are confident we can defeat both of these. persuading the sponsor, who is also chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, not to draft legislation. John MacDonald has represented the Montana Newspa- Another top issue for the MNA was House Bill 504, which per Association as its primary lobbyist since 2013. would have required the “corporate identification” of any “media company” be displayed in large font on the front page of every publication or online news story. Despite Montana Newspaper Association Press ID cards The Montana Newspaper Association provides Press ID cards (credentials) as a no-cost service to our Professional Members. To order a Press ID, please contact: Ryan, Member Relations, at 443-2850 or [email protected] 1. Press IDs are for newspaper journalists, photographers, newsroom staff, correspondents, reporters 2. Allow four days for processing and mailing 3. Electronic IDs are available same day 4. Press IDs expire three years from date of issue/renewal When placing an order, please e-mail the following: PRESS Lewis Kendall 1. Email a current JPEG photo as an attachment and please ID the Reporter person in the photo (Beth - red sweater, etc.) if you are requesting Bozeman Daily Chronicle multiple passes Bozeman, Montana 2. Include the job title Guidelines for picture content 1. The picture should be a close-up showing your head and shoulders 2. Pay attention to the background and setting…a solid color background works best 3. The Press ID is a photo identification: remove hats, sunglasses and be sure to look straight on March 22, 2019 PAGE 7 PEOPLEandPAPERS In Memoriam Aubrey Doyle Larson, who owned newspapers years. He especially liked choral music and was a regular at- across the state, passes at 87. tendee of the Missoula International Choral Festival. He was The former owner of more than a half dozen Montana an avid gardener. He would grumble a bit each year that the newspapers, Aubrey Doyle Larson, 87, of Stevensville passed frost came too early, or it was too dry, but his garden faith- away on Monday, February 11, 2019 from complications of fully produced an abundant harvest each year. Traveling was multiple myeloma. He had endured this painful cancer for another love of his and he logged a lot of miles in his car trav- several months. eling to visit family or to explore some corner of the country. He was born on June 29, 1931 in Circle, Montana. He was He enjoyed fishing, hunting, picnics, and time spent on his raised there and learned the newspaper trade under the tute- deck watching the sun set. lage of his father, Ben M. Larson, who owned and published Family was important to Aubrey and he will be missed. He the Circle Banner for more than 50 years. He attended the is survived by his wife Marie, his three daughters, and five University of Montana and did a stint in the U.S. Army dur- grandchildren: Brittany Larson, Christian Larson, Nathan ing the Korean War. O’Brien, Megan O’Brien, and James O’Brien. His family He married his wife, Marie Hunt Larson, on July 27, 1958 requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions go to and together they shared 60 happy years of marriage. They Samaritan’s Purse or to Faith Lutheran Church in Hamil- have three daughters, Jana Larson, of Coon Rapids, Minne- ton, Montana. sota; Pam Larson, of Raleigh, North Carolina; and Julianne A funeral service was held on Saturday, February 16, at O’Brien, of Ponte Vedra, Florida. Over the course of his Faith Lutheran Church, 171 Lewis Lane in Hamilton, with career, he was the owner and publisher of several small town a reception held immediately following in the church’s newspapers including the Circle Banner, the Hysham Echo, fellowship hall. A graveside service with military honors the Broadus , the Jordan Tribune, the was held at the Riverside Cemetery in Stevensville. Con- Fairview News, the Eaton Herald, and the Deer Lodge Silver dolences and memories may be shared with the family at State Post. He enjoyed publishing and being an integral part www.whitesittfuneralhome.com. of the local community. Aubrey enjoyed music and was at many a concert over the – 30 –

43 134TH MNA ANNUAL CONVENTION “BIG NEWS IN BIG SKY” JUNE 7 & 8 – BIG SKY, MONTANA

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March 22, 2019 PAGE 8 ADVICEfrom theEXPERTS Into the Issues: Newspapers need to explain “How We Work” By Al Cross Newspapers cover almost every imaginable topic, but when it comes “At a time when Americans are more to understanding and explaining their own roles in society, many dubious than ever about sources of community newspapers fall short. They keep doing business and journalism pretty much like they information, newspapers remain the always did, with digital media as a sideline because they can’t make primary finders of fact. But for some much money at it. Their presence on social media is often desultory reason they have been bashful about and uninspired, even though social media have become the dominant form of mass communication. making that their brand . . . ” These newspapers are disengaging from their audiences – or perhaps we should say their former audiences and their potential audiences – at a time when they need to be more engaged than ever. There’s a war on journalism in America, and it’s not just being waged in Washington, D.C. Today’s media maelstrom has left much of the audience uncertain about what a newspaper is, or what it is supposed to be. Newspapers BIG SKY. need to explain that clearly and consistently, through all available BIG IMPACT. forms of media (more on those later). At a time when Americans are more dubious than ever about sources of information, newspapers remain the primary finders of fact. But for some reason they have been bashful about making that their brand, or even thinking of themselves as having a brand. What is our brand? At last month’s Ohio News Media Association SELL A convention, I said it can be built around three Rs: reliable, relevant in- formation, delivered responsibly. The third R most needs explanation. CHAROLAIS IN CHOTEAU When I was first learning journalism and the news business, one From Eureka to Ekalaka and >>> SDAP Statewide DISPLAY Ads newspaper I read regularly ran a standing box on its editorial page. Sidney to West Yellowstone (images, graphics, logos and text) “Daily News Platform” told readers what the paper stood for. It’s been start at just $406 per week… and everywhere in between, that’s less than $7 per newspaper! a long time since I saw such a device, but it’s time to bring it back, in a advertising statewide leverages the network of newspapers SCAN Statewide CLASSIFIED Ads different way. >>> (lines of text only) start at $149 If I were running a newspaper today, its home page would have a across the state, maximizing your per week for 25 words…that’s less exposure and investment. than $2.50 per newspaper! button labeled “How We Work.” It would take readers to a page ex- plaining the paper’s purpose and the ways it tries to achieve it. Shorter ADVERTISE AN versions of it would run in print every day, usually on the editorial REACH AUCTION IN ALZADA page. 400,000 “How We Work” would start by explaining the different forms of in- POTENTIAL formation media, to help readers understand the different and special roles that newspapers play in our society, and the challenges they face. NEW CUSTOMERS Here’s the version I offered in Ohio: EACH WEEK This is a newspaper. It reports facts. To do that, we verify informa- tion, or we attribute it to someone else. That is called the discipline of verification, and it is the essence of a craft called journalism, which ONE CONTACT TO YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER FOR you find in news media. STATEWIDE COVERAGE! There are two other types of media: social media, which have no discipline, much less verification; and strategic media, which try to sell CONTACT CONTACT you something: goods, services, ideas, politicians, causes, beliefs, etc.

Newspapers once relied on one form of strategic media, advertis- FOR DETAILS ing, for most of their income. Today, social media get more of the ad VISIT money, so newspapers must get more income from the only other NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION www.mtnewspapers.com Continued on Page 9 March 22, 2019 PAGE 9 ADVICEfrom theEXPERTS

Continued from Page 8 how and why we do certain things. If we demand transparency from Issues officials and institutions, we must practice it ourselves. And build our brand at the same time. reliable place they can get it: their readers, in the form of subscrip- One good example came from Brian Hunt, publisher of the Walla tions or single-copy sales. As you might guess, we prefer subscribers, Walla Union-Bulletin, in a column he wrote in May 2017, titled so we hope to earn your respect and loyalty. “Community journalism in the era of fake news.” We excerpted it on How do we do that? By being honest and straightforward about our The Rural Blog; you can read it at https://bit.ly/2sQtB5k. Hunt’s best business. passage gave examples of the extreme without being judgmental: That means we must separate fact from opinion, reserving our own “I’ve been challenged on why we include people of color in our views for the editorial page. Of course, our views have some influ- newspaper. I’ve heard from readers who question why, when two- ence over what news we choose to cover, so if you think we’re not thirds of our region voted for Trump, the U-B would ever publish covering what should be covered, or have failed to separate fact from anything remotely critical of his presidency. I learn things in these opinion, or make another mistake, we want you to tell us. You can do conversations. Most notably, the people I speak with are not unac- that privately, or publicly, in the form of a letter to the editor. If you complished, not unintelligent, not uncaring. We know these people. raise an important issue that we think needs wider perspective, we You know these people. Fake news and the isolated intolerance that may invite you to join us in a discussion on social media, and perhaps can feed it gets to us all.” bring that discussion into the newspaper itself. After the column ran, Hunt said the paper got fewer calls, and fewer We want to hear from you. We are in the business of holding others subscription stops, complaining about bias in the paper. Good jour- accountable, so we must be accountable to you. nalism is good business, especially when you explain it. Accountability journalism is necessary if our democratic republic is to function the way the Founding Fathers intended. That’s why Al Cross edited and managed rural newspapers before covering they put the First Amendment in the Constitution. It gives us great politics for the Louisville Courier Journal and serving as president of freedom, but with that freedom comes a great responsibility. If you the Society of Professional Journalists. He is a journalism professor think we are not living up to that legacy, please tell us. at the University of Kentucky and director of its Institute for Rural That’s fewer than 350 words, about the length of a little-longer-than- Journalism and Community Issues, which publishes The Rural Blog usual letter to the editor donin most papers. We need more letters’t from at http://irjci.blogspot.com. the editor, not just statements of general principle, but explanations of Codeget your legal ads and public notices The MNA is reminding members to double-check their legal advertising and public notices to make sure the “MNAXLP” code is on the page or with the ad. This includes all liner and display, legal and public notice ads. The “MNAXLP”left code allows the MNA to digitally transfer legal advertising and public notices to our critical public notice website: http://www.mtpublicnotices.com/mna/legals/ If you have any questions on the process, please contact Matt Gibson, executive director, at (406) 443-2850 or [email protected] the don’t get leftdark in the dark readdon public notices ’t read public notices www.MontanaPublicNotices.comwww.MontanaPublicNotices.com get March 22, 2019 left in the darkdon’t

read public noticesget www.MontanaPublicNotices.com left in the dark

read public notices www.MontanaPublicNotices.com PAGE 10 ADVICEfrom theEXPERTS Research highlights role of newsrooms in politically divided United States By Katalina Deaven An “us versus them” mentality can make it difficult to find common but it depends on the experience. ground. Lines of division are everywhere: religion, economic disparity, • Mediated: A virtual meeting, like on social media, can reduce negative race, and political identity create invisible barriers to understanding. Bring- attitudes. ing opposing groups together is a challenge, but it’s an important task news • Media exposure: The quantity and quality of news portrayals can media needs to take on. influence attitudes. Negative media coverage leads to negative impressions To identify the most successful means to achieve this goal, the Univer- of a group. That negative impact is more lasting and more damaging than a sity of Texas at Austin Center for Media Engagement (CME) “Making positive impact. Strangers Less Strange” study explored real-world newsroom examples and • Imagined: Imagining a positive interaction with an outgroup member academic research on the topic. can reduce prejudice and alleviate political polarization. CME analysed 25 newsroom projects that united groups from opposite These findings can be applied to the newsroom. Bringing diverse groups sides of the political spectrum. The projects covered a range of formats and together is a difficult task — and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. topics such as guns, immigration, the housing crisis, and the 2016 election. However, media can play an important role in bridging the divide, not only Some brought participants together in person; others brought people through specific programs geared toward this goal, but also through cover- together through closed social media groups moderated by journalists. age that sympathetically portrays opposing groups. A wide range of projects were studied for this report, including: The research revealed a few other key takeaways for the news media: • KUOW Public Radio’s “Ask A…” series paired up individuals from a • The need to increase diverse attendance: Those who reach out or variety of groups (e.g. Trump voters, immigrants, transgender persons, agree to participate in an event that brings opposing sides together are police officers) with partners who do not usually interact with that group. generally already open to hearing opposing ideas. Even participants found In a speed-dating style event, the participants paired off, talked for a few through a more random process need to agree to participate. To truly reach minutes, and then switched to another partner. After the event, participants the groups that need it the most will require more creative thinking. felt they had gained knowledge and empathy toward the other group. • The need to create positive interactions: The point is not just to • Your Vote Ohio involved 42 news organizations across Ohio partnering expose participants to a different viewpoint, but to create a lasting, positive with the Jefferson Center, a non-partisan organization focused on demo- interaction. Through their programs, newsrooms can teach people how to cratic solutions and civic engagement, to figure out how to better serve handle conflict, keep discussions respectful, and examine the roots of their communities during the 2016 election. The project brought together a beliefs. By asking for deeper reflection on contentious topics, they can help group diverse in race, income level, age, and political beliefs to discuss what diverse groups understand each other. Ohioans considered fair election coverage. The three events resulted in • The need for more research on the effects of these interactions: in-depth reports and key takeaways to help newsrooms engage with their Though news projects provide anecdotal evidence, there is a need for a audiences and foster political activity. After the election, the project shifted deeper understanding of which contexts and activities are most successful. focus to another topic and became Your Voice Ohio. For example, does having a communal activity, like sharing a meal, make • Spaceship Media’s “The Many” project brought together 5,000 women people better prepared for a tough conversation? By continuing to study with diverse political convictions from across the country. The project was the concepts that come out of these projects, we can help newsrooms create conducted in a closed Facebook group where participants were asked to more effective ways to bring people together. share personal stories, political thoughts, and policy ideas. Spaceship Media The Center for Media Engagement’s full report is available online. journalists moderated the discussions, which changed each week to focus on specific topics such as race or immigration. Through the conversations, Katalina Deaven is marketing specialist at the Center for Media En- Spaceship Media hoped to foster understanding between communities that gagement, based at The University of Texas in Austin, Texas. She can be may not have otherwise had the opportunity to interact with each other. reached at [email protected]. CME also studied scholarly approaches to bringing diverse groups together. The research showed that positive experiences — even brief ones — can promote tolerance, respect, and activism. Participants do, however, need to be in the right frame of mind. Asking them to imagine the other person’s experience makes them more likely to understand a different viewpoint. Emphasising a shared background, like national identity, can also help bring them together. The academic research pointed to several effective ways to bring diverse groups together: • Face to face: The frequency and quality of these interactions matter. Superficial contact, like meeting someone on the bus, can affect attitude,

March 22, 2019 PAGE 11 ADVICEfrom theEXPERTS Locally owned papers doing better than people think By Kevin Slimp It was a lot like other experiences I’ve had at conventions Chyi, University of Texas, and other names that could fill over the past couple of years. In March, as I gathered my a “Who’s Who” list of researchers in the area of newspaper backpack to head out of the room where I’d just spoken in health. Madison, Wisconsin, a man approached and said, “I really In his brief email, he mentioned his editors were skeptical appreciated what you had to say. May I ask a question?” concerning the content of his story. Apparently the people I was in no rush. Immediately ahead he was interviewing were consistent was a five-hour drive to Des Moines, in their findings. Most locally-owned where I was speaking to a newspaper “Heads nodded as I newspapers are doing well. The same is conference the next day. not always true of other newspapers. The “Sure,” I answered. “Of course. How mentioned most lo- further the newspaper from the owner can I help?” cally-owned papers or ownership group, the more likely the His question was straightforward and paper isn’t doing well. That has been a deliberate. “What’s really going on at seemed to be doing consistent finding of my research for the newspapers across the country?” past few years. I knew it wouldn’t be a quick answer. fine. Big metros, not A few days later, the reporter and I talk- I had been standing for two hours and so much.” ed on the phone and he asked if I could there were a couple of chairs in the point him to some data that he could corner of the room, near the door. I show to his editors. I did, reluctantly. I suggested this was a conversation that was reluctant because I’m starting to feel required sitting. outnumbered. There seems to be stories on social media As I began to answer his question, the area began to fill. and in national publications almost daily about how one Soon, there were a dozen or more publishers, editors and large newspaper group after another is falling apart. As I others standing in a semicircle, intently listening in on the reminded this reporter, most newspapers aren’t part of large conversation. I appreciated their interest. It’s a bit humbling national groups. Most newspapers are still locally owned. to know people sincerely care what I think about anything. I didn’t even mention the publishers who I’ve run into I shared my thoughts with the group. Heads nodded as I over the past few weeks who are starting or have just started mentioned most locally-owned papers seemed to be doing new papers. Frankly, I really didn’t care what the magazine fine. Big metros, not so much. ran, if anything. Someone spoke up, “My paper is part of a small local Relaxing in the lobby of the hotel in Des Moines the next group. That’s how it is with us.” day, a publisher approached and I invited him to visit. He I went into more detail about the state of newspapers of told me his newspaper is enjoying significant growth. It has various sizes and types, then explained that I should get been growing, he told me, several years in a row. The past on my way to Des Moines. As I began to walk toward the year has been the best yet. Then – you guessed it – he said, hallway, I heard a familiar refrain, “Thank you for what you “Thank you so much for what you do for our industry.” do for all of us.” I wanted to thank him. It’s folks like him – like the pub- You know, I hear that at every newspaper and convention lishers, editors and journalists I met in Wisconsin and Iowa I visit. I appreciate that people think that way. But the truth over the weekend – who give me the energy to keep up the is I’m not really sure what I do. I study. I do research. I visit fight. They remind me of others I’ve met recently in Wyo- papers. I ask what’s going on. Then I share the information. ming, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Vermont, Kansas and It seems a lot like what journalists at newspapers do every places I’ve momentarily forgotten. day. One publisher in Iowa came up to the podium to tell me As I was leaving the Concourse Hotel in Madison – one of something. “Remember ten years ago when the university the nicest I’ve stayed at, by the way – I glanced at my email dean told you he didn’t think there would be a single news- and text messages. There was an email from a magazine paper left in America in ten years?” reporter in New York, asking if I had five minutes to talk. “Yes,” I answered, “I remember.” I recognized the name. He had interviewed me a week “You should mention that in every column you write. It’s or two earlier for a story he was writing about the state of been over ten years and we’re still here, and we’re not going newspapers. During the interview, when he shared who he anywhere,” he told me. had spoken with while doing his research, he mention Iris Consider yourself told. March 22, 2019 PAGE 12 SALESandMARKETING Existing on small ads is not new By Peter W. Wagner Smaller ads sold mostly to locally-owned businesses the little league as well as the advertising and marketing are a part of a community paper’s DNA. There weren’t services the publication offers. No business has ever suc- any supermarkets, department stores or automobile deal- ceeded in “saving itself out of financial difficulty.” Most erships advertising in the majority of midwestern news- successful business leaders turn a difficult corner by papers at the turn of the last century. I have a framed increasing the material and service delivered. copy of the January 1, 1873 Sheldon Mail hanging on the I was in Hawaii recently and saw an interesting large wall of my office. What is most surprising is the largest red poster in many windows on one island. It read: Here display ad in the now 145-year-old publication is a one is what you did by buying from us ...1) You contributed column by 3.5 inches. More importantly, all the ads in your dollars to local economy. 2) You celebrated the that first edition wouldn’t fill a half of a broadsheet page unique buying opportunities of our community. 3) You today. helped create local employment. 4) You encouraged the When my wife and I put out our first publication, The building of a community. 5) You kept important tax dol- Golden Shopper, our largest ad was a half-page on the lars at home. 6) You benefited from our expertise. 7) You front page. Most of the remaining pages were filled with invested in local enterprise. 8) You made this community 2 x 3, 2 x 5 and occasional quarter page ads. The na- and all it offers a destination. tionally controlled firms all felt they had to advertise in Everything promoted on that poster could also be said, the much older, more established newspaper. We were with a bit of a twist in the wording, of the local paper. thankful for those locally purchased small ads, however, Our biggest failing as a publishing industry is we don’t and somehow we survived. tell our story strongly or often enough. If we don’t blow In the boom times before corporate inserts, we regu- our own horn, who will? larly printed four process color broadsheet pages for our Michael Bugeja, author of Interpersonal Divide in the local Hy-Vee grocery store. That too, disappeared, and Age of the Machine, recently wrote: “Don’t overlook we still survived. We were thankful for them when we newspapers. They are the lifeblood of the community. had them, however, and we survived. Subscribe to your hometown paper. Go farther and buy The truth is our publishing industry is changing in gift subscriptions for your relatives and friends. Discuss ways that is making it difficult to sustain and be profit- the news face to face at the dinner table instead of on able in both the paid circulation and free distribution Facebook. If you have children, let them see you pour- publishing business. The same is true of most other ing over the pages of the paper, pointing out stories forms of local business. But, as long as papers have a about school, hobbies, and upcoming events you might commitment to providing solid local news and informa- attend. If you want to get rid of fake news support your tion to our communities, newspapers and shoppers alike local newspaper. It takes a village to save a local newspa- will find new opportunities to sell print advertising to an per. But saving a village is worth the price of a subscrip- appreciative local market. tion. Newspapers now are a local supplier of professionally written and edited information. Study after study has Peter W. Wagner is founder and publisher of the award concluded communities need a printed publication to winning N’West Iowa REVIEW and 13 additional flourish. Without a competent local paper, communities publications. This free monthly GET REAL newslet- suffer the eventual loss of everything from main street ter is written exclusively for State and National Press retail synergy to in-town grade and high schools to much Associations and distributed by them to their members. needed sales and property tax revenues. To get Wagner’s free PAPER DOLLARS email newslet- A study by the North Carolina School of Media and ter for publishers, editors and sales managers email him Journalism found that more than 1,300 communities at [email protected]. The two monthly email have completely lost their sources of local news. The newsletters contain information completely different local printed paper must continue to exist, and it can than found in Wagner’s monthly Publisher’s Auxiliary through persistence, creativity and a commitment of the column. Wagner can be contacted by emailing pww@io- local ownership. wainformation.com or calling his cell at 712-348-3550. The secret of such success is “Telling your story!” For newspapers that means both sharing all the important local news of the community from the city chambers to March 22, 2019